Tuesday, November 30, 2010

... November 30th. Tomorrow is the first day of December and it seems like it was just a week ago (at the most!) that it was the first day of November. Everything is speeding by.

I have finished my stitching mini project and it's off to be framed now.

"Home In The Winter" from Erica Michaels designs on 40ct silk gauze. The only thing I don't like about it is the 'numbers' beneath the alphabet ... I used the same colors as the designer, but obviously a different dye lot, as hers could be seen and mine look like 'dark clouds'. LOL
When her "Home In The Autumn" came out, I really liked it, but didn't pick it up. Now that I've done this one, I'll have to do that one .. and probably this one again (since this is a Christmas gift) and the rest of the seasons too.
deep sigh
Never ending stash pile grows and grows!

Thinking of putting up the Christmas tree tomorrow on my day off. I'd love a 'real' tree but money is tight and I just can't see spending for something that would only be up for just over a month. I like my little 'stick it in the corner' tall skinny artificial tree, but .. there's just something so soothing with a real tree decorated with lights and vintage ornaments.
I will admit .. I did give a day or two worth of thinking about *IF* I was going to put a tree up this year. It seems such a bother (in a way) to decorate the house for just Dave and I .. as no one, family or friends, comes to our home. BUT I didn't decorate at all one year .. and it really made the season hard for me mentally. I'll do my tree, with Jingle Bells on all the lowest branches as kind of an "early warning cat is up to something" deterrent. And I'll put my antique nativity scene atop the entertainment unit where I can see it every night .. that set must be at least 70 years old now .. my aunt made it in ceramics for my grandmother a long long long time ago! And there will be a bit of Christmas in my house .. as well as in my heart.
Trying to get out of Dave what he'd like for a gift. He's not been forthcoming with ideas. We need to do so much work around the house, and now our oven has died so we'll need a new one ... drat it all, it's a built-in oven too! I even suggested that we don't give presents to each other this year, but rather get a 'new oven' or 'new porch' for us instead. We'll see. It's always something going on!

Still losing weight ... lost 2 1/4 pounds in the last two weeks. And, have been trying on a pair of pants every other week, and today ... ta da! ... they fit perfectly!!!
My WiiFit and I are becoming fast friends! I'm actually liking 'running/jogging' in place ... last Sunday morning I made it to 2 miles in 10 minutes!! Nick has been bumming since I've not been taking him out for his runs. I'm trying to teach him how to 'run in place' with me (on the carpet in the bedroom), but he just doesn't seem to 'get it'!!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Wow .. sorry for my absence! I didn't realize that time had gotten that far away from me!
My debut as a felting artist at the Flint Institute Of Arts First Frost show was a success! I had a LOT of traffic to my booth, some came back the second day with friends that were not with them the first day! And I am very pleased with the sales .. went in with no real expectations so I couldn't be disappointed, but .. sales were great (best on Saturday, low on Sunday)! I also had many of the participating artists tell me that I needed to submit to other shows and gave me ideas of those where my items should be very well received. That was cool too! CLICK ON THE PICS TO SEE THE FULL PICTURE

My booth space location was super .. I was the second space in the second room as people would come in. And, the lighting was fantastic .. I didn't need any additional lighting as did some of the other areas.

The 'hits' of my show seemed to be my 'bug-eyed animals (they're new and not on my Etsy shop site yet .. giraffe, purple pony and owl sold right away!) and my little trolls. The backyard bird ornaments went over well, as did several of my vessels, and of course, my long-legged sheepsies (was told they resembled Shaun the Sheep!) and dogs!
Had a GREAT interest in my teaching classes .. so I have a list of names to contact as soon as I can get a location and a date. Also had 3 different people ask me if I would do custom animals for them .. they'll be sending me/bringing in photos for me to work from.
I'll be working, after the holidays of course, on making wet-felted bags and totes, and scarves for the next years' show.
FUN!!!!